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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-02-13Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>Anadolu AgencyANADOLU AGENCY NEWS 13 FEBRUARY 2001 Tuesday CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 13, 2000. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)FRENCH TOURISTS DON'T CARE ABOUT ARMENIAN RESOLUTIONFrench people are indifferent to the initiatives of the Armenian supporter parliamentarians to ''hamper Turkish tourism.'' More than one million French tourists are expected to visit Turkey this year. The ''economic tension,'' which was experienced after France adopted the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians, is not spread to tourism despite the efforts of the parliamentarians supporting Armenians. DEMIRALP: ''WE HAVE LIMITED SOURCE, WE CAN NOT DEVIATE FROM ECONOMIC MILLIYET (LIBERAL)INHERITANCE PANICDevlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), who was afraid of closure case, warned that ''let us protect spiritual inheritance of Alparslan Turkes. Don't involve in monetary issues.'' Inheritance of Turkes worth of 1.2 trillion lira, caused difficulty in the MHP. Upon the allegations that all the money could belong to the MHP, Bahceli pointed out the Political Parties Law and gave the message that they should not involve in the issue. THE PROTESTS WERE NOT IN VAIN Ibrahim Sahin, the former Deputy Chairman of Special Operations Department, and Korkut Eken, a former official of National Intelligence Agency (MIT), were sentenced on Monday to six years in prison on charges of ''forming an organization with the aim of committing crimes and leading this organization'' within framework of ''Susurluk case''. Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) no: 6 sentenced other 12 suspects to four years in prison on charges of ''forming an organization with the aim of committing crimes''. SABAH (LIBERAL)FM CEM: NOBODY CAN IMPOSE REGIME ON USForeign Minister Ismail Cem, speaking upon the allegations that Iran was trying to impose regime on Turkey, said, ''nobody has the power to impose their regime on us.'' Cem, currently on a two-day official visit to Iran, spoke to journalists on the plane and said political and security issues as well as economy would be discussed during his visit. GOKALP: DROUGHT MAY TURN TURKEY INTO AFGHANISTAN LIVE BOMB ALARM The photographs of Gulsoy, who is in rural parts of Tokat province have been given to the concerned units. Security forces said that Gulsoy is a drug addict. CUMHURIYET (LEFT)IMPRISONMENT TO GANGIstanbul DGM made its verdict about the Susurluk case five years after the traffic accident which revealed dark relations among politicians, police and gangs. The court sentenced Ibrahim Sahin and Korkut Eken to six years in prison eacn and other 12 suspects to four years in prison each. Meanwhile, suspect Edip Sedat Bucak, a deputy from the True Path Party (DYP), and suspect Mehmet Agar, an independent deputy, couldn't be tried due to their political immunities. NEW CLAIMS ABOUT SUSPICIOUS WEALTH RADIKAL (LEFT)GUREL WINS THE BORON DEPOSITS DISCUSSIONState Minister Sukru Sina Gurel won the discussion on boron deposits. Gurel was discussing the issue with Yuksel Yalova, the state minister. The boron deposits was excluded from the scope of privatization with the decision of Council of Ministers. CALL TO SET UP DELEGATION FOR F TYPE PRISONS Five people, representing the families, met with Ihsan Erbas, the Justice Ministry Undersecretary, and Ali Suat Ertosun, the Director General of Prisons, and wanted a delegation to be set up to end the death fasts. TURKIYE (RIGHT)SEND ME TO IMRALIKorkut Eken, former National Intelligence Organization member who was sentenced to six years in prison on charges of ''infiltrating the state with illegal gangs'' in the Susurluk case defined the court verdict as ''unjust'' and ''unfair''. ''I will apply to the court to serve my sentence in Imrali Island. I think that the person living there got bored. I can receive state assistance and benefit from the food for diet,'' he said. THERE WON'T BE SUPPLEMENTARY SOURCE DAY OF HOPE AT EU ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)IMPRISONMENT TO SUSURLUKAllegations about shady relations between police officers, politicians and crime bosses which were put forward after a traffic accident which occurred in Susurluk township of Balikasir on November 3, 1996 were confirmed with court verdict. Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) sentenced suspects of the case on charges of ''infiltrating the state with illegal gangs''. Ibrahim Sahin, former head of the Special Action Force of the Police, and Korkut Eken, former National Intelligence Organization member, were sentenced to six years in prison each while former special police force members and Sami Hostan, Yasar Oz, Haluk Kirci and A. Fevzi were sentenced to four years in prison each on charges of ''being members of illegal gang''. THREE SUSPECTS SENTENCED TO 77 YEARS ON CHARGES OF STEALING T-SHIRTS ALSO ARMENIANS DISCOVER EU NO SOURCE TO REAL SECTOR ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS A BIG LIE -JOINT CALL FROM CTP IN TRNC AND EDI IN GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE The CTP officials, led by Mehmet Ali Talat, the leader, and the EDE officials, led by George Vasiliou, the leader of EDE, convened on Monday in Greek Cypriot side and held a joint meeting. CTP Press Office issued a statement and said the two parties called on the talks to be continued and intensified in the direction of indispensable joint interests of the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, within the scope of the U.N.'s set of ideas, and according to the principles of high level agreements. The statement expressed concern over the interruption of the talks, noting that CTP and EDE defended that membership of (Cyprus) to the European Union (EU) would serve to the interests and development of the two communities. The statement said the CTP and EDE were of the same opinion that works should be done to find a solution to Cyprus question before entering to the EU. The statement expressed belief that Helsinki Agreement and positive relations developing between Turkey and Greece would ease tension and contribute to the solution of the problem. -''TURKISH FESTIVAL'' TO START IN NETHERLANDS The festival which was organized by the Culture and Art Foundation KULSAN and Tropical Institute will start with a concert which will be performed by Turkish Folk Music singers Mehmet Ozbek, Sureyya Davulcuoglu and Ali Ekber Cicek at The Hague late on the same day. Within framework of the festival which will continue until end of May, nearly fifty concerts will be staged in ten cities including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. Within scope of the festival, three different conferences on Turkish Music will be held and a photograph exhibition will be opened. The festival which was organized following a two-year work and will cost almost 1 million Dutch guilder (300 billion Turkish lira) will be sponsored by Dutch organizations. Mehmet Ozbek, Ali Ekber Cicek and Sureyya Davulcuoglu who will stage concert tonight will perform concerts also in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Haarlem and Eindhoven. Turkish folk music singer Sabahat Akkiraz and Dutch singer Jasperine de Jong will give concerts in five cities as of February 16. Within framework of the festival, Turkish and Greek musicians will give a series of concerts. Besides, Nurhan Damcioglu of Turkey will stage Turkish tango and canto concerts. Okay Temiz, a world-wide famuos Turkish drummer, will give a concert together with six foreign mucisians. They will be accompanied by the Culture Ministry's Janissary Band of Musicians. Within framework of the festival, Turkish actor, theatre player and comedian Mujdat Gezen will stage stand-up shows in two cities. Turkish singer Orhan Gencebay and Prof. Murat Belge will attend the conferences on Turkish music. Turkish photographer Ara Guler's photograph exhibition reflecting images of Turkey will be opened on March 6 in Amsterdam. The exhibition will remain open until April 2. The Turkish Festival will end with the concerts which will be given by Turkish singer Adnan Senses in the second half of May. -OKUYAN, MINISTER OF LABOUR LEAVES FOR HUNGARY Prior to his departure from Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Okuyan said he and his Hungarian counterpart would discuss reports prepared by the technicians on Social Security Agreement that would be signed by Turkey and Hungary. Noting that they would also exchange views on immigration issues which are important to both countries, Okuyan said he would also make contacts on European Union (EU) issues concerning his ministry. Okuyan added he would also make bilateral contacts with Hungarian Health Minister about the social security institution hospitals. -GUNGOR DILMEN'S ''I, ANATOLIA'' PLAY TO BE STAGED IN BROADWAY The play which was translated into English named as ''I, Anatolia'', and will be staged on at the Fazil's Times Circle Studio on February 24-25 and between March 3-25. In the play, the history of Anatolia is explained by different women characters varying from Roman Empress Theodora to Turkish author Halide Adip Adivar and from first woman historian Annan Comnena to Kybele, the fertility goddess of the Hittites. The play is about the disparities such as east-west, Christian-Muslim, and black-white and the identity problems dormant in the cultures. -TURKISH EXPORTERS DELEGATION LEAVES FOR SOUTH AFRICA Prior to his departure from Istanbul's Ataturk Airport together with Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursad Tuzmen, Exportation Director General Soner Masa and 57 businessmen for Republic of South Africa, Toskay said that there was a sharp decrease in exports to the European Union (EU) countries due to developments in the Euro-U.S. dollar parity in 2000. Stressing that they adopted a policy to vary markets to which exports from Turkey remained low, Toskay said, ''with this respect, South Africa is one of the most important geographies among the target markets.'' Noting that they attributed importance to Republic of South Africa, Toskay said, ''57 representatives from 46 companies will have the opportunity to meet with representatives of nearly 140 South African companies. It is impossible for us to be satisfied with the trade volume between two countries so far if we take their economic potentials into consideration.'' Stressing that they would give necessary messages to the South African officials for development of bilateral relations, Toskay said, ''we want to sign a free trade agreement as soon as possible. The two countries carried out important preparations for prevention of double taxation. We will launch initiatives to bring these preparations to level of agreement.'' -TURKEY-IMF Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Demiralp said, ''Treasury Undersecretariat is the focal point of the program as before. Most of the talks with the IMF are held at the Treasury with participation of other relevant organizations.'' Demiralp said that IMF officials and Turkey Desk Chief Carlo Cottarelli continued their works at the Treasury after holding technical meetings with the relevant organizations. ''Coordination is at the Treasury while the IMF delegation is also carrying out works at other relevant organizations,'' he said. Demiralp added that talks focused on banking and structural reforms. Meanwhile, IMF delegation is expected to leave Turkey after wrapping up its contacts on Friday. -PARLIAMENTARY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MEMBERS GET INGORMATION Speaking at the meeting, Commission Chairman Huseyin Akgul from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) called on Turkish citizens living in Germany to solve their problems within unity and solidarity. Noting that Anatolia was the root of human rights, Akgul said, ''during my meeting with German Human Rights Commission Chairperson Claudia Roth in Turkey, I said that Turkey is more sincere than Germany regarding human rights issue.'' Stating that their 25-member commission was touring 12 European countries to get information about problems of Turkish citizens, Akgul said that they proceeded from Denmark to Germany. -FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN IRAN Cem and the accompanying delegation visited Sadabad museum following their meeting in Sadabad Palace and got information from the officials. Cem later addressed a meeting staged by the Iranian Chamber of Commerce. Businessmen from the two countries attended the meeting. -GENOCIDES COMMITTED BY FRANCE The commission will take up the ''Draft Law on Genocide Committed by France in Algeria'' which was submitted by 41 deputies from the Virtue Party (FP). Besides, the commission will discuss the ''Draft Law on Recognition of Oppression and Genocides Committed by France'' which was submitted by Bulent Akarcali, a deputy from the Motherland Party (ANAP), and the ''Draft Law on Genocide Committed by France in Algeria'' which was submitted by Mail Buyukerman, an independent deputy. The draft law submitted by Akarcali foresees recognition of ''genocide committed by France in Algeria between 1954-1962, its oppression in Vietnam and its contribution to genocide in Rwanda'' by the parliament. The commission will also assess the ''Draft Law on Sanctions to be Imposed on Countries Which Carry Out Works Against Turkey'' which was submitted by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairman Oktay Vural, Ismail Kose and Mehmet Sandir. The draft law which foresees to authorize the Council of Ministers to take decisions on economic, cultural and political sanctions to be imposed on countries wihch carry out works against Turkey will cover all public institutions and organizations and the organizations half of which capital belongs to state. Under the draft law, the Council of Ministers can limit those countries' participation in public tenders, purchase of goods and services from these countries and cultural and political relations with them. The commission is expected to combine these draft laws which foresees recognition of genocides committed by France, and take up them on February 15. -NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING TURKEY IN JANUARY INCREASES The information of the Tourism Ministry show that the number of the tourists visiting Turkey in January rose by 7.67 when compared to previous year and reached to 359 thousand 512 tourists in January 2001. The number of tourists coming from Germany incrased 59 percent while the number of tourists coming from Britain increased 33.79 percent in January 2001. Officials said the number of tourists coming from Belgium rose 70 percent, the number of tourists from the Netherlands increased 34 percent, and the number of tourists coming from Spain increased 119 percent in the same period. The number of the tourists coming from Europe increased 41.79 percent in January 2001 when compared to the previous year, officials added. Noting that the Tourism Ministry would spend 40 million U.S. dollars for promotion activities, officials from the ministry said that the ministry would also host some journalists and representatives of travel agencies in Turkey this year within the framework of promotion activities. -FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN IRAN Ali Osman Ulusoy, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) told A.A after their contacts today that time has been lost in economic relations between Turkey and Iran, adding ''I believe that there will be a very good cooperation in the economic relations between the two countries.'' Ulusoy said that the efforts of founding the Turkish-Iranian Joint Business Council will be finalized soon, adding that a delegation of 100 members from the Iranian Trade Chamber will come to Turkey in May. ''I consider this visit as a promising development in the improvement of relations,'' said Ulusoy, noting that the Turkish side is open to foundation of joint firms with Iran and undertaking investments. He stressed that the Turkish ports and free zones, including Trabzon port and free zone, are ready to provide all kinds of facilities to Iranian businessmen as in the past. Konya Trade Chamber Chairman Huseyin Uzulmez said in his part that Iran is a big country which Turkey can't give up in respect of commerce. ''We have great expectations from Iran in economic field,'' said Ulusoy adding that people in Iran showed great interest in Turkish businessmen in Tehran. ''For instance, the number of Iranian businessmen who participated in the common meeting today is more than those who attended such meetings in Tehran before,'' he said. Uzulmez said that the bilateral trade which was high in the past decreased a lot recently, adding that there is a 400 million dollars of deficit against Turkey last year. Uzulmez said that this deficit will further increase by the start of Iranian natural gas' export to Turkey in July. -RUSSIAN INTERIOR MINISTER RUSHAILO CONTINUES HIS CONTACTS IN TURKEY Tantan, Rushalio, and Turan Genc, the chief of security department, and the delegations of both countries came together in Ankara within the framework of the visit. Following the meeting which lasted almost one and a half hours, interdelegationary meetings headed by the ministers started. -STATE MINISTER RECEP ONAL RECEIVES IMF'S TURKEY DESK CHIEF COTTARELLI The meeting of Onal and Cottarelli lasted for one hour. The IMF delegation headed by Cottarelli started its contacts in Treasury Undersecretariat on Monday within the framework of the sixth review of the ongoing economic program. The IMF is expected to continue its contacts till Friday, February 16 and is expected to stage a joint press conference with the Treasury.
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